5 comments about At a Journal Workshop: Writing to Access the Power of the Unconscious and Evoke Creative Ability.

1. I cannot speak to the method itself, as I haven't been using it long enough. However, the book should have had the services of a good editor. Just b/c good journaling requires one to turn off one's inner editor doesn't mean a book about it should be written the same way! Needed someone to tighten up the structure and put signposts in the texts to help the reader follow the structure better.



2. As a reader with a degree in English and a master's degree too, it dismayed me to have such a hard time comprehending At a Journal Workshop. Maybe I was looking more for quick exercises that I could use with my journal and that made me impatient with the heavy language and obscure concepts of this book.
   Perhaps the concepts of Twilight Imagery, Steppingstone Periods and Inner Wisdom Dialogue are easier to grasp in an actual workshop.
   More in depth than I wanted to deal with. I recommend The Creative Journal by L. Capacchione which I found sparked some valuable insights for me in my journal writing.



3. I am a fan of Progoff's Intensive Journal and have been doing the journal method for over 20 years. This book is a valuable tool for learning this technique, but it is not well-organized.
   
   The first third of the book does a good job of explaining the method, but the rest of the book has a very meandering style. This is in keeping with the spirit of the journal, but without having done a workshop it will be difficult for people to learn what they need to know on their own with only this book as a guide.
   
   However, AT A JOURNAL WORKSHOP is invaluable commentary for those who have done the various Progoff's workshops. It is also valuable to those who haven't, but it isn't written is such a way that you can learn what you need to know without plodding through the whole book carefully.
   
   It would be great if someone could edit this text and organize it more efficiently. The metaphors and examples are excellent, but it definitely needs some updating and serious editing.
   
   I encourage anyone who has not tried this method to give it a shot. It has been invaluable to me over the years and it's great to hear Dr. Progoff's own words on how to do it.
   
   Although Progoff was a wonderful depth psychologist, he wasn't as good a writer in the conventional sense of the word. However, you need this book to truly capture the full spirit of the Intensive Journal Method. It will be a lot of work to go through it and make sense of it all in the way it's presented. However, it contains pearls of wisdom and excellent tips on how to make the most of the technique.



4. This book is VERY in depth, probably more than most people want to go. It's allot of work and time consuming although I like it. If you buy it, be prepared to work at it.



5. This book is a powerful tool for self analysis as well as for anyone that meditates.

5 comments about Ladies Who Launch: Embracing Entrepreneurship & Creativity as a Lifestyle.

1. Just gave this book to a friend who recently started her own business... the perfect gift!



2. This book is a complete re-hash of "you can do it" pop-psychology. It offered absolutely nothing new in terms of real concrete getting things done. The repeated references to "take time for yoga" and have parties to sell your products to friends is annoying.
   
   The surveys and "studies" mentioned in the book are invalid in terms of how they were conducted; no marketing expert or sociologist would give them any credence.
   
   The book appears to be a marketing tool for the author's own business, a franchise of Incubators which cost hundreds of dollars to join. Don't waste your money; the book itself is an advertisement for a poor product.



3. Not only am I a LWL member in Los Angeles and am very grateful for Amy Swift and leader Jen Sincero. I bought the book and recommend it to all of my girlfriends that are frustrated in their overpaid corporate jobs. Hard to believe that the almighty dollar does not make for a women's happiness. Ladies Who Launch gives you the courage to launch from within, plan your exit stategy and first and foremost believe in yourself. Like I wrote above, if only this book and this nationally recognized networking group were around when I began my business, I would not have felt so isolated. The growing numbers of women that are choosing freedom in their hearts and their souls versus "working for the man" are and will reap what they sow. Like Alicia Key's sings "I am superwomen, yes I am" The LWL team Victoria, Beth and Amy and all the other leaders certainly are and if their isn't an incubator by you just yet, purchase this book and become a leader in your own area. I thought fashion moved fast, I think Ladies Who Launch might move faster.



4. I found this book trite and a waste of time. There are much better books to consult. The website for Ladies Who Launch is also pretty much worthless, unless you want to read about the success of celebrities and such. Their organization isn't as wide-spread and helpful as they would have you believe.
   
   I didn't find anything that was of help. And as others have mentioned, some of the language in the book was sickening.
   
   I'm just not impressed.



5. I found this book to bevery validating of my own journey starting my Business & Life Coaching practice a few years ago. Imagine it, Speak it, Do it, and Celebrate it, are simple ways to remeber the content. I encourage all my female clients in business to read this book.

5 comments about Time Management for the Creative Person: Right-Brain Strategies for Stopping Procrastination, Getting Control of the Clock and Calendar, and Freeing Up Your Time and Your Life.

1. I expected this book to provide innovative, useful information; after all, I'm a creative professional, always have a million projects going on at the same time, and really could use some help. Unfortunately, instead of original advice targeted to people in creative fields, this book is geared to harried housewives and disorganzied hobbyists. It is crammed full of platitudes, cliches, anecdotes about quasi-celebrities ("As a stand-up comic, Gary Shandling enterains audiences by poking fun at himself..."), quizzes (Are you right-brained or left-brained?), quotations, items ripped directly from press releases ("According to a survey by Select Comfort ...") and bulleted lists of hints (focused primarily on housekeeping and automobile maintenance) including:

   * Stop to smell the flowers (yes, he actually says this)
   * Brush your dog or cat while watching your favorite TV show
   * Choose plants that are easy to grow
   * Make enough for two meals when you cook and freeze the second meal
   * Use paper plates and cups
   * Hire a cleaning service
   * Get more sleep

   Probably the worst piece of advice this book offers, though, is "the future will take care of itself." No, it won't, especially if a deadline is looming and the rent check is due! If you work in a creative field and are looking for advice about enhancing your creativity and/or better managing your time and projects, skip this book. It is a complete waste of time and money.




2. Mr. Silber has managed to write a book that is funny, down to earth, and immensely helpful. His stories are priceless, and the tips are ridiculously useful and easy to implement.



3. Proof that anyone can write a book. Do not waste your money on this -- it is worthless. You can do better by asking yourself about your time management faults and coming up with your own solutions. This book has nothing of value. It is full of typos and ridiculuous quotes.



4. If typical time-management advice leaves you cold, this book offers a refreshingly different perspective, and tons of practical ideas that are based on creative and abstract thinking, not linear, robotic instructions. This is for those of us who are usually 5 minutes late, who search the house for a slip of paper with vital information, and who find day-planners to be tedious and inconvenient. And this book never makes you feel guilty or inadequate for not following traditional advice on "productivity."
   
   This book proposes that organization and time management strategies should be personalized and comfortable. They should be empowering, not restrictive, and make your life more relaxed, not more stressful. Until reading this book, I had not considered that this was possible. I have adopted many of the author's ideas and specific suggestions, and I have continued using them for over a year since I first read it. I've increased my freelance earnings, created a workspace I love to work in, and reduced the stress in my life. If you cringe at most time-management books, please read this one.



5. I liked this book very much because it was written for people like me. I was given many explanations for my behavior without making me feel badly. Also there were many practical suggestions that one could start doing as soon as the book was read. I especially found the part on procrastination helpful.

5 comments about Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-For Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind.

1. Actress, teacher, and creator of an acclaimed series of one woman plays, Anna D. Smith gives some valuable incite about artist and their world. This book consists of a series of letters she writes to an imaginary young artist she calls BJ. But the letters are for artists of all ages and of any art form. She shares the rules of the road in the business of making and selling art.
   
   Ms. Smith's stories are about her life, the influence by other artists, students, scholars, and activists. About how to unleash your potential, awaken your self mastery, and cement your power base. And about how to corral the phenomenal influence from audiences and people you may never meet.
   
   With two Obie Awards and nominations for two Tony Awards, she challenges the next generation to believe in their vision as well as their dreams. It is her belief that an artist should take what is complex and make it simple. And to do that it takes skill, human understanding, stamina, courage, and heart. LETTERS TO A GREAT ARTIST is direct, personal, and encouraging. This is a must read, particularly for aspiring artists.
   
   Reviewed by aNN
   of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers



2. Anna Deavere Smith knows what it's like--the struggle of the artist, the cold night of the soul when sometimes you feel punished for being a visionary, and she gets a lot of it down on paaper in this book of letters modelled to a certain degree on Rilke's famous LETTERS TO A YOUNG POET. She's seen it all in her multi-tasking career, and if she doesn't know it, she has a host of excellent friends to ask, everyone from Wynton Marsalis to Paul Van De Carr. James Baldwin, whom she met when she was just a struggling actor, told someone that she reminded him of "Lorraine" (Hansberry, the playwright who wrote A RAISIN IN THE SUN) and this overheard compliment sustained Anna Deavere Smith through many a disheartening audition. She's been on THE WEST WING and she played the mother in the movie of RENT. It's a bedside book you might give to any young friends you might have, or hope to influence. They'll read a few passages and take heart.
   
   It gets docked one star for its relentless name dropping. We know she's at the very top of the tree, but she doesn't miss a beat about talking about famous friends, or people she's met in the publis sphere, and some of her enthusiasms get a little embarrassing. Did she have to tell us that Lauren Hutton should win Kennedy Center honors for her smile? That's the kind of thing Louella Parsons used to say, and it didn't sound any more sincere the first time around. And her inability to say a negative thing about any of her friends grows tiresome, especially when she says that "Naomi Campbell has presence" or brags that Condoleeza Rice came to one of her performances when they were colleagues at Stanford. Please, ADS, draw a line somewhere!
   
   Though to be fair she does spoof her own propensity for the spotlight. She's not without humor, it's just a little weird to be writing a whole book of letters to an imaginary young girl, or is it? I think the scheme helps her incorporate different journalistic assignments she's been given over the years. For example, the imaginary teen is supposed to be a painter, so ADS gives an account of interviewing Brice Marden, "and just like you guessed, he is indeed tremendously sexy." Such double dips are a commonplace in occasional books of this kind, but we expected a little bit more from the genius who gave us TWILIGHT LOS ANGELES and FIRES IN THE MIRROR.



3. Actress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith wrote a series of letters, collected as Letter to a Young Artist (2006; Anchor Books) about "the rules of the road in the business of making and selling art." Certainly the book has received high praise from sources including actors, editors, authors, and museum directors. I found my own reactions more ambivalent, partly due to a prejudice I have regarding how people in the arts tend to talk about themselves and their work. Let's get that out first. Mind you, I'm a writer, photographer, and am often involved in various ways in theatre, so I'm not indifferent to the arts. Yet I dislike the term artist, because its context has come to emphasize the individual at the expense of the craft. But to many, the label is important and they tend to focus on the primacy of the "artist," not the art. Sometimes in the book that is the sense I have of Smith. For example, she writes:
   
   
   "I think of art as work, so I worry about going off into the stratosphere with theoretical questions like, 'What is art? What is truth?' ... If we get caught up in pondering these questions, we sell ourselves short. How we live, and how we treat one another, is what is at issue."
   
   Yet then she goes on to nothing less than questioning the nature of art. Although she is trying to pass something on, I had the sense that she really usually doesn't know the answers and often is as puzzled as the fictional BJ, whom she addresses. That, to me, made the book intriguing. At times I found the contradictions gave me material for thought. In one section, she discusses the fictional difficulty that BJ faces when his or her school is about to turn a painting studio into a state-of-the-art biology lab and move the studio into a basement. On one hand she arguing about the uselessness of such a lab "ridiculous." Nevertheless she still goes on to write:
   
   The awareness of the importance of the artist's vision always needs to be enhanced in schools. it is shocking to me that the argument continually needs to be made--but it does.
   
   Now think of the biology students who for some apparently extended period of time had to make due with second-rate facilities. Also, it is easy to take some of her stated reactions, like being spell-bound by a given recorded performance of a song, and as self-indulgences unless you can remember having similar moments. (I can remember once being so floored by hearing a guitar transcription of Bach's Goldberg Variations that I stood still for a while just listening, and then immediately bought a copy.)
   
   There are times that I got the sense she was missing the very point of an experience that she was trying to communicate, such as her father telling her, "Don't take it too hard," on finding that she didn't win a Tony. "I could feel his resignation about his failures in his own life," Smith wrote. Maybe that's what he felt, or perhaps, in his 70s, he knew that the real failure is to take such ephemera as important when in the most profound sense they mean nothing. After all, when Herman Melville died, the critics had long written him off as an unimportant writer, rather than one of the foundations of American literature. J.S. Bach in his day was considered a second-rate composer. How foolish on reflection is our collective wisdom, and how more foolish to spend precious life paying attention to it.
   
   Nevertheless, there is a lot of good in the book. Smith well understands the practicalities of art - that there are power structures one will deal with and that a Tony might well mean the difference between a show continuing or closing. Those are certainly lessons that those in the arts need to learn, that they will be engaged in commerce, whether they like it or not. Ultimately, I found that reading the book and engaging with the author led to my rethinking things, and whether I agreed with Smith or not, as always it is a useful exercise.



4. I bought Anna D's book at age 55 because I wanted to have a little inspiration from one of the great theatre artists of our time...I only wanted a little -- she gave me a lot. If you need an encouraging word at this point in your career -- whatever point that is, and I say, "who doesn't?" -- you must buy Anna's words asap. I got the audio version because to be surrounded by her ringing and truthful voice speaking the words she wrote is REALLY something. Reviewed by Katherine



5. Letters to a Young Artists is not worth reading. Anna Deavere Smith is a gifted artist herself, but her book inevitably springs from the assumption that she has profound wisdom to bestow. She never gets out from under that narcissism. I lost respect for her after reading her book.

5 comments about The How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci Workbook: Your Personal Companion to How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci.

1. This is very sad book with little merit. A perfect example of an author scamming the reading public. I wish there was some kind of publishing board that could review books and prohibit some from being published.



2. At first I was skeptical but the workbook has turned out great. I have been using it on and off at times in my life when a lot of things are going on and I need a way to rethink about what I am really doing with my life. It may not be for everyone but for the few people who are ambitious or have lots of intrest, this book can help bring everything in perspective. It's not even that expensive. Also, it doubles as a journal if you don't care for the exercises.



3. I bought this book and the companion workbook, read it, then had a presentation done for my professional organization of which I am the state president this year. It was smashing!
   
   I recomend this to anyone who is interested in learning how to "think outside the box" and to really explore how to think and approach everyday things in a different manner.
   
   These books lend themselves well to seminars for groups and for academia.



4. I was looking for something to share with my daughter for her Home school projects but fell in love with this book and workbook for myself instead!
   This is a wonderful book to thrill and inspire you to learn new things about yourself every day! Why rush through it?! It was meant to be savored slowly like wine and cheese so don't rush your way through it!
   I AM a Leonardo da Vincian Thinker!



5. I bought this workbook along with the parent book, "How to think like Da vinci."
   
   I truly enjoyed the parent book, and actually did some of the exercises (the 100 question one specifically). Some of the exercises seemed kind of contrived. If I had it to do over again, I would not buy the workbook, but would instead just buy a journal (as the book suggests) and record your creativity ideas there and do what exercises you desire out of the book and record the results in your journal. This way you are working in one journal.
   
   I do not mean for this to take away from the Main book at all. This workbook seems to be more of a marketing device that a very useful too.
   
   Leon

5 comments about Solitude: A Return to the Self.

1. I have reread this book over and over again in the last 8 years and wish I had discovered it when it was first recommended to me almost 20 years ago. Every time I reread it I find new ideas which speak to me and new passages to underline. Dr Storr writes wonderful prose, never wastes a word and is marvellously readable and incisive. An extraordinarily wise book that I hope will still be in print a century or more from now.
   
   This book explains why some are singletons and that they can lead happy fulfilled and creative lives.
   
   From the point of view of understanding literary history and artistic creativity as well as as a psychological text this book is endlessly interesting.



2. Storr presents some strong arguments in this book - but I think many of them are based on false myths.
   
   Storr proposes to shatter the myth that we need healthy partnerships to be happy. But the reality is, contrary to what Storr says, people ARE alone, most people experience a great deal of solitude or loneliness, whether they have others around them or not. There are many aged people for example who have plenty of solitude, but it is not necessarily fruitful or satisfying. A great number of people are starved of good company, and not starved of solitude at all.
   
   Storr names a list of MEN who lived solitary creative lives - but were any of these men fathers? What were their responsibilities to other people? What did they see as their responsibilities in relationships? I have read the lives of several of the philosophers he mentions - most of them had moments of INTENSE connection with other people, they had lovers, companions, and intellectual soul mates throughout their lives with whom they shared ideas and passions, people who inspired them and encouraged them. These thinkers read widely and were taught by many people with whom they engaged intensively. Their solitude was something they chose to get their work done, but their work is NOT the product of solitude , this is a MYTH, there is NEVER a sole genius creator, these men were influenced by many, many people. Many of them COULD write and think because there was SOMEONE ELSE making their lunch and doing their washing. The fact that they COULD have time to write was because of their privileged position in society - that they were wealthy and male. Storr neglects all this and is not aware of all the cultural and socio-historic embeddedness of his own argument.
   
   We really ARE nothing without others - those who have loved and supported us, even if we do spend time on our own.



3. This is a very good book; however, I would have liked it more if the author had delved into details about the temperament of the solitary artist and less on the psychological aspects of mothering, attachment, and so forth. Unfortunately, I also found some faults in the book when regarding his distinctions of the "types" of artists. I do not think that all poets and writers are dramatic extroverts; I for one am both, as well as a musician and an artist, but I am HARDLY an extrovert! (I am dramatic though, but moreso in private).



4. I have always been a solitary man, someone who likes to be alone, reading and writing, and who prefers solitude becasue I thrive in it. I've never had a ton of friends, and still don't, though I always had a few close ones. Some people say there is "something wrong" with me and that I need to get out more and be more social. Thing is, I don't find that satisfying. I find more satisfaction in solitude, reading and thinking and writing, than I do in "working the crowd." So prevalent were the voices of such critics that I often wondered if they were right; I also began to hate myself.
   
   Mr. Storr's book, I'm glad to say, changed all that. Contrary to popular opinion, Mr. Storr says it's a sign of health if one can be alone for long periods of time; he also suggests that a person is deficient if he can't handle being alone and instead has to fill his life with friends, parties, lots of distractions, and the like.
   
   The fact is, many great writers, philosophers, poets, musicians and artists were very solitary people with few or almost no deep, intimate personal relationships. The humanities would not be what they are had it not been for those solitary men and women who were alone a lot, people who were able to search deep into themselves and listen to what their souls were saying--in solitude. Large sections of Amazon.com, the college library, the fine art museum and symphony hall would not exist had it not been for the men and women in this book.
   
   I can't recommend Mr. Storr's book enough. If you enjoy a solitary life and doubt that you are "normal" or "sane," or if people are always on your back about spending time alone or about how you don't have a lot of intimate friendships, you have nothing to fear: it's perfectly normal to want to be alone, especially if your gifts and talents demand that you be alone.
   
   All in all, Solitude: A Return to the Self was a major discovery and I'm looking forward to reading it again. This book was a rare find. I can't remember a book having this much of an impact on me. If only Mr. Storr were alive so I could thank him for this fine book. Very highly recommended.



5. Rilke wrote, "I implore those who love me to love my solitude," and Storr explains why a creative (or ordinary) person might utter or wish to utter such a request. This book is restrained in its tone, but Storr's agenda is not neutral -- he clearly objects to what he sees as a social convention that undervalues solitude and overvalues relationship. Another reviewer's insistence here that solitude and "loneliness" are the same thing only confirms Storr's point. I believe that much of what people call loneliness in this culture is actually alienation, and that alienation is the result of people's deprivation of the alone time that helps nourish the self. I give it 4 stars rather than 5 only because I believe some people will find the analytical jargon off-putting.

5 comments about The Vein of Gold.

1. Julia Cameron's books should be mandatory coursework in all creative writing classes or any kind of dramatic and performing arts programs around the world! Luminous, loving, and healing are the trademarks of her artistic recovery programs. Climb this mountain and find your creative muse! The book follows a weekly development plan to exacavate the voice within. A gradual mentorship no matter where you are on the journey to expressing your artistic birthright.
   
   Don't we all have a story to tell that is uniquely our own? Or perhaps there is that song that is one which places us in our element like nothing else? And then again, there are those stage roles that seem written just for us, or are they? The answer in Julia Cameron's Vein of Gold is ... YES! Cameron describes in her book how the actor Robert De Niro seems born to play certain mystery roles and when he steps out of them the thespian magic seems to disappear. This is the basis for the Vein of Gold, which followed the very successful Artist's Way, as a 12-week study in artistic recovery.
   
   The Vein of Gold continues upon Cameron's practice of morning pages, artist dates to be taken solo, and a series of tasks designed to coax out the creative child. Each chapter begins with a rich collection of Cameron's wisdom as a professional writer herself and follows a particular theme. Readers are encouraged to stay on each theme presented in the chapter, such as abundance, and do homework assignments such as a collage or add decoration to their living space. The point of this is to draw out in a reader what is uniquely their own story, song, or poem to birth. In the commercial world of art, Cameron notes, a lot is being quantified by how much money a movie earned, how much a painting was sold for, or how many hits songs a record spawned. This message is often what gets in the way of finding one's vein of gold because the artists believes that they must deliver art that is "acceptable" rather than "authentic". In the Vein of God, Cameron strives to draw out what is already there and meant to expressed rather than mould a person's art into a template of popular opinion.
   
   Beyond the 12 distinct chapters, the book is divided into kingdoms to illustrate the kind of inner journey that Cameron is taking her students on. Each kingdom (sight, story, sound, attitude, relationship, and spirituality) reflects the kind of "sense" training that is intended to help readers excavate their own vein of gold as practical exercises probe leading questions into the psyche. What Cameron wants is for those who seek their inner gold, to not only find it, but to claim it as theirs alone.
   
   The Buddha once said that there are three things never hidden for long: the sun, the moon, and the truth. Finding gold in the hills of our inner life is only possible through the truth. Cameron's Vein of Gold is a literary prospector's guide to seeing our truth underneath all the beliefs, emotions, and patterns we have long hidden under.



2. Julia Cameron has done it again. I read her first book The Artist's Way and this book is just as great. I've experienced an increase in creativity that I never thought possible. It truly is a journey inward. I'm 35 yrs. old and a mother of two. I had no idea that there was still so much to discover about myself. As mentioned in the book, a great symptom of increased creativity, is greater spirituality. This book has truly changed my life!



3. Vein of Gold has met my expectations and beyond. As someone who has never felt "creative" it has helped me to broaden my defintion of what that means.It has practical exercises that are reasonable and useful as I continue my self-discovery of what being creative means. I highly recommend it.



4. I have made a permanent connection. With who you ask? Me. What made me think I was disconnected? I just knew like you know. Traumatic life experiences during childhood, tragic episodes, etc. It doesn't really matter how you got disconnected with your inner artist child only that it's possible to reconnect right now if you pick up Julia Cameron's book: The Artist Way and work through the exercises. Your life will change for real. The Vein of Gold (the sequel to the Artist's Way) focuses on finding your specific source of treasure/talent. Both books ensure that you will stay well-connected to your inner artist child and not lose him/her ever again.
   
   There are no short cuts, but Julia Cameron's program works. I don't know why it works, but it does. Before you do one more thing to improve or change your life buy both books and do the exercises faithfully. I still journal, take artist dates and buy little gifts for my inner artist child. Why? It works, but I would have never made the connection without these two wonderful books. The books are like treasure maps to find the treasure (the gold) in you. You and you alone are your own gold-digger.



5. Plumbing the depths to find the creative you is done as ever it can be done with this book. Julia Cameron takes the reader on a series of journies to find the nature of relationships, spirituality, the senses of sight and sound,the nature of one's attitudes all leading to the discovery that all things are possible. When those possibilites are realized they are expored and it is that exploration that opens up the creative soul.
   A great book.

5 comments about The Soul's Palette: Drawing on Art's Transformative Powers.

1. I have read all the books on art and health and this one surpasses all of them. The author writes beautifully and sensitively about art making and why it is helpful to one's well-being. The exercises suggested in this book are easy to do and have great results, for both the beginner as well as more advanced. While I loved No More Second Hand Art by London and Trust the Process by McNiff, this book is much more clear in its writing and message.

   The book is particularly useful if you are going through a physical illness or emotional distress-- you will find that the author offers many creative strategies to help. And if you are interested in spiritual aspects of art making, you can buy no better book on why art and spirituality are closely connected.




2. This is a great book for tapping into that inner voice, taking some time to be quiet with ourselves and just plain have some artsy-craftsy fun. The book sarts with some intro chapters that provide short stories/examples of the healing power of art through the ages - from Buddah to present day folks. From there it talks about "being mindful" - here there's discussion of drawing things from your dreams, using your imagination, etc. I love the section that talks about the difference between "curing" (where you remove all evidence of the disease) and "healing" (a more spiritual transformation of repairing and connecting, gaining a peace.) Again, there are lots of stories andexamples within the text which makes it interesting reading. The next few chapters go into getting in touch with your soul's palette - rediscovering what you see as "art", remembering your own personal history as an artist,paying attention to symbols. Next there's a whole chapter on different mediums to play around with (water color, clay, pen & ink, chalk, etc. Then she gets into playing around with art, being creative, letting ourselves free to create. There are short exercises throughout to help get you rolling and there are great discussions on things like howe to talk to your images/embrace them and create meaning around them. Then there's the healing aspect - one excerise is "paint or draw your emotional response to illness" another is "use color to sooth your symptom." There's also a section that talks about keeping a journal. Overall a really excellent book that I've enjoyed. Its fun, and there are so many interesting ideas/information woven in. Symbols have always been of interest to me and there's some interesting info on that in here too.

   The chapters in the book are as follows:

   - Rediscovering the Soul's Palette
   - Creativity as a Healing force
   - Knowing materials and creating space
   - Visual symbols as messengers, guides and friends
   - Letting your images tell their stories
   - Images as a path to physical well-being
   - Art as reparation and restoration
   - Nuturing the sacred
   - Sharing the Artist within

   I definitely recommend this book for someone looking to open up/get in touch with that quiet voice. I have a clay cup that has a saying written on it - "When in doubt, listen quietly to yourself." This book helps you listen to that quiet voice.




3. This book is an inspiration! On every page, in every section there is something to draw on to expand one's spiritual and artistic expression. The mandala information is very good. The pocket shrines are also wonderful to make with or for children. They really respond to them. I was encouraged, uplifted, and inspired to create more art, and as a result learned more about me in 40 days, than I have in 10 years. If there was one art/spirituality book (that wasn't a single technique) that everyone needs for their bookshelf...it is this one. Don't miss it!



4. I realy liked this book.
   It made me think about how art really helps people.
   Including me.



5. I loved this book! It's a fast read, but rich - full of great advice and suggestions for art activities that tap into the inner self. The author tells of her Catholic upbringing, but shares information on a variety of faiths and how they explore self through art. I'm teaching art to adults, and found it a very relevant resource. I also recommend it to anyone seeking to explore art in a playful, low-pressure way.

5 comments about The Van Gogh Blues: The Creative Person's Path Through Depression.

1. Finally, I found a book that might actually help me and some of my dearest loved ones. I adore this book; and would love to meet the author. This book is for every "artist" who struggles w/ the "blues" or depression, yet knows that traditional medicine and therapy won't help much. I'm going to revisit this review when I'm done w/the book (I'm only about 1/4 into it); but until then, I'll just say, I finally feel I'm on the right track. Even in just the first chapter, I knew, this book was for me. Even my husband picked it up and said, "Wow. This is so you!" (in a good way). I can't wait to share it w/ others that I know are troubled/plagued w/ similar issues. Hope this helps you in your search...



2. We all know the story of the brilliant yet tortured Van Gogh. His mind blowing creativity was only matched by bouts of deeply destructive depression. We've also become accustomed to hearing gossip about rock stars, artists, actors, and writers whose drug use, alcoholism, or suicide make the evening news. It seems the pairing of creativity and self destruction is a natural one.
   
   The Van Gogh Blues doesn't seek to break this stereotype. Instead, it looks to examine the reason why creative people tend to have such extreme highs and lows. The answer seems so obvious that most of us probably would never have thought of it.
   
   People who create tend to put all of their effort into their work. I do it myself, I can sit for hours and just type fully immersed in my own words and thoughts. Having such clarity of focus and such a single minded drive is fantastic.
   
   However, once the project is complete, the creating is done. Suddenly, there is no more purpose. The individual is suddenly lost without any sort of direction. I can relate. I always know it's time to get back to my writing when I start to get depressed. Over time, I've learned that I have to a project. I have to create.



3. Eric visited Rainmaker's Prayers blog during his virtual tour for his newly released book "The Van Gogh Blues: The Creative Person's Path Through Depression." Shinan asked some difficult questions and Eric gave some brilliant answers that we feel are important enough to share with the world. So I've included them in this customer review.
   
   
   
   Shinan Barclay : In the face of global warming/global cooling, Eric Maisel's book: "The Van Gogh Blues ," inspired me to compile an anthology entitled "Rainmaker's Prayers,Align with Global Harmony." How do I encourage clients and contributors to find and create meaning in their life?
   
   Eric Maisel: By helping them make the paradigm shift from finding meaning to making meaning. There is no meaning to find; it is not lost. There is only meaning to make; meaning is a choice. Once people really understand
   this distinction, they realize that they know enough already to make these choices and they can begin to stand behind their own meaning
   decisions.
   
   Shinan Barclay: With climate change and the extinction of thousands of species, many people feel hopeless and helpless. How do you encourage people to find meaning among the uncertainty and confusion of evironmental upheavals?
   
   Eric Maisel: By reminding them that they have a life to lead and they can lead it authentically or inauthentically. They are not in charge of the
   universe--no one is. They are in charge of only and precisely their own
   life. They can make their life a thing of moral beauty by their choices or they can watch more television. Until the world actually ends, we have
   the obligation to take charge of our life and aim it in the direction
   of our choosing; that is what "making ethics" means.
   
   Shinan Barclay: Some data says that major corporations control the media, i.e. television, newspapers and magazine, and that the American population is spoon-fed and numbed by "corporate propaganda." How can we create meaning in an inauthentic world?
   
   Eric: Only with great difficulty--but life is difficulty. There never was
   a guarantee that life would be easy. You think through what would
   amount to right action in this kind of environment--where you can make the
   most difference or any difference--and then you step in that
   direction, recognizing that you can't alter the world's configuration, All you can do is make yourself proud by your own efforts. You heroically
   try; that's it, period.
   
   Rainmaker's Prayers, Align with Global Harmony



4. With so many books being published about creativity, it may be repetitive to read about the same old reflections and the same suggestions to nurture your abilities. Eric Maisel has found a refreshing way to address creative people's issues. With the Van Gogh Blues, he presents his approach to deal with the anxiety and depression creative persons tend to feel at different points in their lives.
   
   While he doesn't shun the medical take on depression, he brings an existential understanding of the situation. This view expresses that a creator that repeatedly makes meaning, hold on to that meaning in his life (life's work meaning and meaningful day-to-day life)will have a better chance of dealing with an inclination to depression.
   
   Eric Maisel covers the field as to how meaning can be created using other's artists biographies, emails from contemporary creators and his experience as a creativity coach (which might be the coolest job in the world, I think). The book's question could be: As creatives, how can we create meaning in life? This way, the books appeals to more than only the depressed artists. To top it off, the author writes in a clear but not-dumbed-down way, ideal to the sophisticated, intellectual reader who appreciates good writing.
   
   Even for a person who constantly reads on creativity and life purpose, I found this book brings new ideas and a fresh take on what assails the creative person.



5. I am not fond of "self-help" books, which always become so quickly redundant, even when they make sense. This book, however, really hit home at a number of points regarding finding meaning in existence, supporting creativity, and understanding addiction from a different perspective (at least for me). I even went online and looked up creativity coaches in my area! For more of my rants, raves, and recommendations, please check out my book blog at allthepage.today.com

3 comments about How to Conduct Surveys: A Step-by-Step Guide.

1. I've been doing online surveys and consulting for years and have been using Vista surveys as I found them to be the best overall. This book really helps to enusure that I ask the right questions for my Fortune 500 clients! By reading this book you will certainly pick up on not only critical questions you should be asking but HOW to ask them. Highly recommend!



2. I found the book to be a very pragmatic guide to surveying for accuracy and quality.



3. This book provides a step-by-step guide to conducting surveys in an easy to read format. The book also provides examples of real practice which is useful.